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License to print money?

J

jonnobonno

Active Newbie
Midlands
E51 Owner
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Location
Warwickshire
First Name
John
Elgrand
E51
Region
Midlands
Just looking around on sales sites etc, it seems a standard Elgrand may sell for, let's say 6k, for example. Yet a 'camper' conversion of the exact same vehicle will sell for maybe 20k.

You can get a pop top fitted by a company on eBay for well under 2k, cabinets maybe 1k if you include hob/sink, maybe then add another 1k for leisure battery, inverter etc.

The rest can't all be labour

Seems overpriced to me
 
Its a price bubble mainly caused by 'van-life' Instagram influencers etc. Some van conversions are very high quality, but as you have stated, there is a lot of money to be made with cheap conversions and people willing to overpay. Like all other bubbles, it will burst at some point and lots of people will possibly be out of pocket when they want to sell.
 
It's currently a fad. Fad's don't last forever.
Saying that, I bought the Elgrand for some overnighters, but just a mattress topper over lowered seats.
 
Seen plenty close to 30k and not particularly nice front ends IE the original stuff.
 
Elgraman said:
It's currently a fad. Fad's don't last forever.
Saying that, I bought the Elgrand for some overnighters, but just a mattress topper over lowered seats.
Click to expand...
thats my intention, don't want a full out camper more a day van that if I have to I can doss in it over night. :)
 
bikerToe said:
thats my intention, don't want a full out camper more a day van that if I have to I can doss in it over night. :)
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If I ever do go 'upmarket', I'll consider a 'cheaper' Campel box.
campal.co.uk

Simply Campal

A removable, compact conversion camping box to convert your car into a micro campervan within minutes. The Simply Campal provides a comfortable inside seating area and a full size removable double bed. Ideal for those car camping short stopovers. Makes the perfect conversion for a Berlingo...
campal.co.uk campal.co.uk

I think what someone else mentioned above, I think applies to these too. The one which is £900 more expensive(!) got some extras (12L water bootie & tap; double stove; storage box), but those come in at under £100 if you got them yourself (and have more choice). Granted there are some other things, but I would never pay 900 sovs more.
 
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Campers have always been (and prob always will be) expensive, because people want them ... if people will pay then that's how much they are worth. But to get a 'proper' conversion on any van isnt cheap .. you're looking at 8k - 10K for the interior and another 3K for the roof .. yes you can get cheaper, but you get what you pay for. My van (3.5 4wd) + LPG + pop top + quality conversion = over £20K easy. Is it over priced? yea of course it is, was it worth it? every single penny ... try buying. a low milage VW or transit with a quality conversion and heating etc for much less than double that amount. Each to their own, but i've done the tent thing, the 'basic' van thing and even tried a motorhome once, but nothing beats a nice camper (for me) ... to be able to jump in the van and take off knowing ive got my comfortable accommodation, food, heating, free 'wild' camping and access to the outdoors at any time of the year is why I paid so much. just getting the van ready now for a trip to the SW 300 road trip starting at Dumfries and Galloway next week ... try doing that in a tent in February.

The thing that made me happy to spend so much is quite simple, if I sold it now i'd get my investment back + £££'s ... and Ive had 2 years of great trips for 'free' ... nice :)
 
Redmeg said:
Campers have always been (and prob always will be) expensive, because people want them ... if people will pay then that's how much they are worth. But to get a 'proper' conversion on any van isnt cheap .. you're looking at 8k - 10K for the interior and another 3K for the roof .. yes you can get cheaper, but you get what you pay for. My van (3.5 4wd) + LPG + pop top + quality conversion = over £20K easy. Is it over priced? yea of course it is, was it worth it? every single penny ... try buying. a low milage VW or transit with a quality conversion and heating etc for much less than double that amount. Each to their own, but i've done the tent thing, the 'basic' van thing and even tried a motorhome once, but nothing beats a nice camper (for me) ... to be able to jump in the van and take off knowing ive got my comfortable accommodation, food, heating, free 'wild' camping and access to the outdoors at any time of the year is why I paid so much. just getting the van ready now for a trip to the SW 300 road trip starting at Dumfries and Galloway next week ... try doing that in a tent in February.

The thing that made me happy to spend so much is quite simple, if I sold it now i'd get my investment back + £££'s ... and Ive had 2 years of great trips for 'free' ... nice :)
Click to expand...
My thoughts exactly. Especially the "each to their own" if anything campers have risen in price and people are still buying them... Bottom line is if you don't want to pay big bucks then don't.. simple as...
 
Redmeg said:
Campers have always been (and prob always will be) expensive, because people want them ... if people will pay then that's how much they are worth. But to get a 'proper' conversion on any van isnt cheap .. you're looking at 8k - 10K for the interior and another 3K for the roof .. yes you can get cheaper, but you get what you pay for. My van (3.5 4wd) + LPG + pop top + quality conversion = over £20K easy. Is it over priced? yea of course it is, was it worth it? every single penny ... try buying. a low milage VW or transit with a quality conversion and heating etc for much less than double that amount. Each to their own, but i've done the tent thing, the 'basic' van thing and even tried a motorhome once, but nothing beats a nice camper (for me) ... to be able to jump in the van and take off knowing ive got my comfortable accommodation, food, heating, free 'wild' camping and access to the outdoors at any time of the year is why I paid so much. just getting the van ready now for a trip to the SW 300 road trip starting at Dumfries and Galloway next week ... try doing that in a tent in February.

The thing that made me happy to spend so much is quite simple, if I sold it now i'd get my investment back + £££'s ... and Ive had 2 years of great trips for 'free' ... nice :)
Click to expand...
I do get that, and it sounds like you have a great time! I suppose I just always think an imported vehicle with a huge petrol engine is such a strange choice for a camper, so always amazes me they are so popular! I have had mine for 6 years, and the combination of huge petrol bills, sometimes difficult parts availability, and the reluctance or outright refusal of many garages and service providers to touch imports means I would personally pick a standard diesel van for a camper every time!
 
Covid helped inflate the price of campers, people thinking "We can't go to Spain for our holidays now so we'll have to holiday in the UK, ahh let's buy a campervan / caravan / tent / boat" etc etc.

Years ago my dad owned loads of different campervans, some coachbuilt, some DIY built by previous owners, I don't think they were anywhere near as expensive as they are now (obviously allowing for inflation). Ex-ambulances and mobile shops were commonly converted to campers. If it was a DIY job (or really anything that wasn't coachbuilt) it probably wouldn't have been worth much more than the standard van it was based on.

Another advantage (in a way) about older design campers was they were allowed to have sideways sitting passengers is the rear without seatbelts, which made for a vehicle that could carry loads of passengers and the seats easily made into a bed. For example at one point my dad owned a professionaly converted / coachbuilt camper based on an old Mercedes small/mid sized van that had high roof fitted, hot water geiser, toilet compartment (no shower), sink, fridge, 30 gallon fresh water tanks (2x15gallon) fitted underneath. The design meant we could easily fit the whole family in it including grandmas, grandads, great grandma, all the kids, etc, we sometimes had 12 people in it and it wasn't cramped at that! It only had one bed when the seats were 'made up' into the bed but the bed was easily big enough to sleep 6, bigger than any king/queen etc sized bed. Might not consider the sideways travelling seats and lack of belts an advantage these days but the sideways seats were also better for comfort and just being able to move around in the van when parked up. Imagine the Elgrand but a bit longer and wider, high roof fitted, all seats removed, only one side door (and a conventional hinged rear door), seats running sideways all down one side from just behind the driver to about 3 and a half ft from the rear, behind that a cupboard and bog room. Almost the same on the passenger side except no seats where the (small) side door was and the 3 and a half ft at the rear with the sink, cooker, wall mounted geyser, fridge underneath.
 
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Tim C said:
I do get that, and it sounds like you have a great time! I suppose I just always think an imported vehicle with a huge petrol engine is such a strange choice for a camper, so always amazes me they are so popular! I have had mine for 6 years, and the combination of huge petrol bills, sometimes difficult parts availability, and the reluctance or outright refusal of many garages and service providers to touch imports means I would personally pick a standard diesel van for a camper every time!
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If you've got a spare £10K, you could get a top spec VW T6 Transporter, sub 15K miles, sub 4 years old, full conversion with pop top/heater, fridge, rock and roll bed, upgraded alloys, 3 years free servicing, full 2 year warranty (inc wear and tear). You might actually get change out of 10 grand thinking about it.
 
Lpgc said:
Covid helped inflate the price of campers, people thinking "We can't go to Spain for our holidays now so we'll have to holiday in the UK, ahh let's campervan".
Click to expand...
Thank you COVID for introducing me to Elgrands 😀😀😀 albeit my Elgrand journey will be coming to an end
 
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